# NPCs Don't know how to archery well

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [August 16, 2018, 3:38am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232 "2018-08-16T03:38:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ecchi\_squid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/ecchi_squid/32/6386_2.png) [@ecchi\_squid](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/ecchi_squid)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 3:38am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232/1 "2018-08-16T03:38:36Z")

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Apparently NPCs Don’t reload their quiver ever. Also I’ve been seeing problems with their behaviours as they’ll shoot once then move in to engage, and I’m not sure what to do about it. If they stay put, they often Don’t fire because I want them to have decent chances of hitting. It would be better if they could kite targets if either me or an object is in the way and be able to move in to the necessary firing range.

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**Author:** ![mlangsdorf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/mlangsdorf/32/2462_2.png) [@mlangsdorf](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/mlangsdorf)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2018, 11:13am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232/2 "2018-08-16T11:13:29Z")

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NPC AI is currently hard to adjust. It is hopefully being rewritten into a system that uses more current AI technology from other games. As that happens, it should be possible to make the NPC AI a lot smarter, including things like kiting and using quivers.

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**Author:** ![0be1isk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/0be1isk/32/2710_2.png) [@0be1isk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/0be1isk)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 5:59am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232/3 "2018-08-17T05:59:47Z")

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I’ve been playing around with the ai code, and currently it’s extremely hard to make it modular. Honestly, a complete rewrite needs to take place (will remove npcs temp. Until a foundation is created, and even still npcs will be dumb as bricks until more functionality is implemented, but modularity is ultimately the goal), Idk how Kevin will take a complete rewrite but the scale of such a project would take me months, if not years.

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**Author:** ![ecchi\_squid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/ecchi_squid/32/6386_2.png) [@ecchi\_squid](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/ecchi_squid)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 6:28am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232/4 "2018-08-17T06:28:27Z")

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Methinks not very well at all.

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**Author:** ![mlangsdorf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/mlangsdorf/32/2462_2.png) [@mlangsdorf](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/mlangsdorf)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 10:23am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232/5 "2018-08-17T10:23:32Z")

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See [https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/projects/17](https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/projects/17)  
OrenAudeles has started work on the framework but it will be a while before we see any PRs.

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**Author:** ![Barex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@Barex](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Barex)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232/6 "2018-08-17T14:46:39Z")

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What kind of newer AI technology are you thinking about?

My thought is that if the newer AI systems is based on smart items it would mean possibly an entire redo of current item json files, along with removal of hard coded item data like butchering results.

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**Author:** ![mlangsdorf](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/mlangsdorf/32/2462_2.png) [@mlangsdorf](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/mlangsdorf)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232/7 "2018-08-17T16:14:21Z")

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Here, let me provide a link to the github project on the AI rework. Oh, wait, I already did.

I’m certain any code improvement that involves an entire redo of the current JSON is not going to be considered an improvement.

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**Author:** ![Barex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@Barex](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Barex)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/npcs-dont-know-how-to-archery-well/16232/8 "2018-08-17T16:36:01Z")

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I’m not quite sure why the attitude, since there’s evidence that I’ve read the project and associated links by referring to smart objects, as referenced in the MIT paper.

The project does not currently have any updates or info other than four broad Todo categories.